Today we did a virtual saddle fitting with Tasida to figure a few things out. Between Nancy coming out and Tasida's videos and .... to be honest, the trauma with the panamera... My head exploded and I needed some advice. So... Tasida was kind and did a virtual fitting and it was so helpful.
Funny spent half the time trying to bend in half for scritchies. Girl.. stand up straight!! I can't tell if the saddle fits if you're a pretzel! Ha ha. So... first things first... her rib emergence is no longer at 4". Baby girl grew up and grew some withers and no longer qualifies as a potatoe! And actually, as she's lost some weight (ulcers? in heat?) she's more angled than flat backed as I originally thought too. The good news is that Tasida liked the panamera on her very much and feels like if it fits her that well and *I* am much happier in it on her than on Lyric... keep it for her. So, check... dressage saddle for Funny. We checked her loxley again and she very much still likes it on her. I did remind her that we have had to narrow it two gullets but yay that we can. And that makes sense that she is no longer a potato. So check... jump saddle. So sweet. Funny is good to go!
So... later tonight I rode her. I so wanted to take her to Ashland and do a long hack first, but... I was running out of time because I had a doctors appointment for me this morning and then Dan had a vet appt at 1. And then the saddle fitting. So.. it was too late. Plus the arena's were all closed for show prep. And I really wanted to test her a bit. So... I rode at home. I put the jump saddle on her because she's always worse at home. And it's windy. And deer time. So, we started out in the pasture and I rode her around the field for two laps. Partly looking for Lyrics missing shoe and partly because I wanted her to have a very long warm up and not be in the arena. She felt a little bit electric and was super fussy in the bridle. She wanted to be long and low and not have any contact. But.. no shenanigans and we ened up in the arena. We walked a good bit more and then I finally felt like she was ready to trot. Or maybe I was ready. ;) I was giggling because she was power walking so fast and I was trying to allow her to snack on the edge of the arena because... 1) free weedeating and 2) fill that belly so there's less splashing on your presumed ulcers. But she was power walking so fast she couldn't hardly grab a bite. I was like "Funny, if you would just slow down, you could actually eat"... and then laughed.... because... Um... I only had time to eat brunch today... I had leftover BBQ sandwich at 10:30 because... I didn't have time to eat breakfast and I didn't really have time get lunch until after the vet appt at 2 plus but I was hungry. And so at this point it was almost 6 pm and I had only eaten the one sandwich all day. Ha ha.. Okay.... MAYBE Funny will finally learn to slow down when *I* finally learn to slow down. I'm guessing that God is as frustrated with me as I am with Funny. ha ha. Okay... noted... trying to work on it!
Anyways... we trotted and she was good. Quick... but not quite as speedy at first. She did build up some momentum over time but she was fairly responsive. We did have a big spook at the deer who was laying down in the grass and jumped up as we trotted by, but other than that... no shenanigans. She didn't pin her ears the entire ride... just a few moments here and there. She did listen to my thighs closing some and slowed down. She kind of ignored my half halts but also... I was riding very consveratively and "babying" her so that she didn't explode. But I feel like I've been riding that way the last multiple rides and she has still exploded, so... yay for no explosions today. We did manage to get some decent trot work. And then I pushed it more and cantered. And she was big, but she was good. No bucking, no bolting, no kicking out, no squealing. Just... her normal zoom zoom self. We finished with a little bit more trotting because I wanted to see how she would be after the canter and I wanted to finish on a good note. And she was definitely more zoomy after we cantered but there was no balking or naughty behavior. So YAY!!
We ended on a good note and then hacked back to the barn. But we also happened to find Lyrics missing shoe! Yay! And Dan's flymask. Ha! Score. I hopped back on and she carried me back home. She's still flirty and in heat a bit, so... who knows if that's playing a role. Or if it really is ulcers. I kind of wish I had just scoped her at the last vet visit, but... I just hate doing that to them. (the overnight stay, the starvation, the stress!).
So... two successful rides in a row! I'll continue to use the jump saddle until after the show I think.. JUST in case. Although I guess we'll see what happens. I may not be able to resist "testing" her. And I will need to enter soon, so hopefully I can sneak in another ride Saturday or Sunday before closing date. I suppose worse case scenario, I can sub Dan or Lyric in for her. (Which... actually, might be kind of fun. Not sure Dan would be ready to jump BN, especially at Chatt, but maybe they would let me drop down. I'm also not sure Lyric would be ready, but... hopefully Funny will be good to go!).
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